Susan's Soap Scene

Welcome to summer everyone!  For those of you who don't live in Texas like I do the heat may not have really kicked in yet.  (Maybe you live somewhere that it never does.)  But we are facing 100 degree days here which definitely means -- summer's here.

With that in mind, the order of the day is to sit back, relax and try to stay cool.  We bought one of those 18 ft. blow up pools for my 11 yr. old son and I have to say that even just looking at it helps me cool down a little.  Add a glass of iced tea and I'm feeling better already.  So let's get to it.

In this issue:

• Lemon Essential Oil
• Tea Tree Essential Oil
• Hydrosols 

Lemon Essential Oil (Citrus limon)

Lemons are used widely for their flavor as well as their vitamin content.  They are extremely high in vitamins A, B & C.  Historically lemons were used by sailors on sea voyages to ward off scurvy.  In Spain and other European countries lemon is something of a "cure-all", especially for infectious illness.  Lemon essential oil has antiseptic and antibacterial properties.  It has a tonic action on the lymphatic system and a stimulating action on the digestive system.  Lemon can assist you in staying slim, help to disperse cellulite and keep wrinkles at bay. 

From an aromatherapy standpoint lemon essential oil is considered beneficial for the following conditions.  For skin care it benefits greasy skin, acne, spots and varicose veins.  It is considered good for insect bites and brittle nails as well as mouth ulcers and warts.  For circulatory ailments it is used for arthritis, cellulitis, high blood pressure, poor circulation and rheumatism.  Lemon is also very good for your general immune system and so is useful for colds, flu, fever and infections.  (This is one of the reasons I use it in my Cold Care Milk Bath Crystals) 

Here is a recipe using Lemon essential oil from Valerie Worwood's book The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy  :

Diuretic Fat Attack Bath Oil

2 drops Juniper Essential Oil

6 drops Lemon Essential Oil

Make up a bottle in these proportions or use this amount for 2 baths.

Tea Trea (Melaleuca alternifolia)

Tea Tree is native to Australia, primarily in New South Wales.  Its name derives from its local usage oas a type of herbal tea prepared from the leaves.  Tea Tree is a small tree or shrub with needle-like leaves similar to cypress with heads of yellow or purple flowers.  Our present knowledge of the properties and uses of tea tree is based primarily on a very long history of use by the aboriginal people of Australia.

Recently however, tea tree has been extensively researched using scientific methods with the following conclusions:

1.  Tea Tree is unusual in that it is active against all three varieties of infectious organisms: bacteria, fungi and viruses.

2.  It is a very powerful immuno-stimulant, so when the body is threatened by any of these organisms tea tree increases its ability to respond.

Because of its powerful qualities tea tree is useful for treating a wide range of conditions.  Among these are candida and all sorts of infections, sunburn, acne and toothache.  Tea tree is one of the few essential oils effective against fungal infections.  This makes it very useful in treating ringworm, athlete's foot, nail fungus and any other type of fungal infection.

An effective treatment for minor cuts and scrapes is the following:

Bathe the area with warm water to which you have added 5 drops of Lavender and 2 drops of  Tea Tree per 2 cups of water.  Put 3 drops of Lavender on a piece of gauze and place it over the cut.  Renew it twice a day and expose the cut or wound to air on the third day if possible. 

Hydrosols represent the true synergy of herbalism and aromatherapy.  They are the pure natural water that is produced during the distillation process.  When plants or flowers are put into the still or distillation tank, they are subjected to either boiling water or steam or both.  The steam causes the plant material to soften and release its essential oils as vapor.  This essential oil vapor mixes with the steam, only to be separated again as the steam cools in the condensing tank.  As the steam mixture cools the essential oil molecules float to the surface of the steam (or now cooled water) due to the specific gravity difference between essential oils and water.  This leaves two separate layers in the collecting receiver.  The essential oil layer and the water layer which is now called hydrosol.

Micro-drops of the essential oil which remain in the water layer or hydrosol give it scent and taste.  The plants components give it floral or herbal therapy.  Hydrosols are 100% distilled and can be used at full strength.  They are very gentle to your skin and can be tolerated by people for whom essential oils are too strong.  From a therapeutic standpoint they combine the properties of essential oil and herbal benefits.  Just a few a uses of hydrosols are: soothing a sunburn, freshen a bathroom, disinfect your hands, facial toning, mist a pillow before bed, soothing insect bites or just a refreshing way to cool off during the summer.

Hydrosols can often be used in the same manner as their essential oil counterparts.  Lavender is still relaxing and good for burns and insect bites.  Peppermint is cooling as well as soothing for burns.  Chamomile is useful for soothing irritated skin.  Owyhee is help for skin breakouts and irritations.  Rose works as a tonic for all skin types.  Orange Blossom and Sandalwood are both good for dry skin.

Treat yourself and try a hydrosol this summer.  They are cooling and refreshing and make a wonderful face toner or even moisturizer when it is hot and sticky outside.